Remove the skin and mince the garlic into small pieces.
CINDY’S TOP TWENTY COOKING TIPS
Here are some tips to help you make everyday cooking and entertaining easy and stress-free! A little advance planning and cleaning up as you cook will go a long way toward success in the kitchen.
1 Complete basic dinner preparations the night before or in the morning to make cooking the meal less stressful.
2 Making sauce or stock? Prepare in large quantities and freeze in quart containers or freezer-safe bags.
3 Avoid the temptation to test new recipes when entertaining. Stick to the recipes you can execute without a hitch, and save experiments for casual meals.
4 Cook spaghetti squash to al dente in advance. Just before serving time, toss in a large skillet with a little oil, salt
and pepper to warm through and finish cooking.
5 Bring eggs and butter to room temperature before using them for baking.
6 Allow meat to rest after grilling or roasting. This will allow the juices to redistribute and keep the meat moist.
7 Never overcrowd the pan when sautéing—you’ll end up with steamed food. Work in batches if needed, and keep a warm plate in the oven to keep sautéed items hot.
8 When you go shopping, always take a list, and never go hungry.
9 Always make sure your knives are sharp.
10 For best results, use exact measurements when baking.
11 To get the most juice from a lemon or lime, roll it on the counter under your palm before squeezing.
12 Clean as you cook!
13 Cook with your favorite music playing and a glass of wine in hand. Enjoy your time in the kitchen.
14 To prevent an egg from cracking while boiling, start with cold water and add in a capful of distilled vinegar.
15 Iceberg lettuce will stay fresh in the refrigerator if you wrap it in a clean, dry paper towel and store it in a sealed plastic bag.
16 Always heat the pan, then add oil.
17 A great way to test whether your oil is hot enough is to place the end of a wooden spoon in the pan. If you see bubbles form around the wood, you’re ready to go.
18 Use sea salt or kosher salt, which have more flavor and mineral benefits, rather than iodized salt.
19 Always have fresh salami, prosciutto, mortadella, olives, anchovies and nuts handy to make a quick antipasto to serve guests.
20 Read the entire recipe before you start to cook!
Cindy chatting with friends about cooking.
BASIC RECIPES
Spending a little time preparing ingredients that you will use often and storing them is part of keeping your ingredients as fresh and pure as possible. Homemade foods also make great gifts. I just love having homemade marinated vegetables on hand to serve as an appetizer, to add to my antipasto, or put on top of a salad.
Likewise, homemade stock or broth adds a depth of flavor to soups and stews that you just can’t get out of a can or carton. Most Italians make stock and broth from scratch using meaty bones. Your butcher may sell soup bones; you can also just tell them that you’re making stock and ask them for any bones they may have on hand. Just remember not to oversalt your stock! It’s better to add seasoning to soups, stews, gravy and other dishes as they are being prepared.
ITALIAN PICKLED VEGETABLES
My grandfather had a large vegetable garden. When the vegetables were ready, Nana and I would make a bunch of jars of pickled vegetables to be served on an antipasto platter at Sunday dinner. Nana insisted that all of the vegetables, except for the cauliflower and artichokes, had to be the same shape. Really, though, you can cut them any way you want. I like to slice some and cut others into matchsticks.
1 cup (100 g) cauliflower, broken into small florets
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup (100 g) button or pearl onions
1 red bell pepper, sliced or cut into chunks
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1 cup (150 g) marinated artichoke hearts, quartered
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (250 ml) white wine vinegar
¼ cup (65 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons whole black pepper-corns
Dried red pepper flakes (optional)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower, carrots, onions, pepper and zucchini and blanch for 3 minutes. Remove from pot and drain, then place in a large bowl. The vegetables should still be crisp.
Add the artichokes.
In a separate bowl, combine the garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper, then whisk together.
Pour over vegetables and, using a wooden spoon, stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Ladle the pickles into clean jars. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, if using, to each jar, then cover tightly with a lid.
These pickles will last for 1 week in the refrigerator.
PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 3 MINUTES
MAKES: 4 CUPS
CHICKEN BROTH
Buying canned chicken broth is easy, sure—but when you make your own, you know exactly what went into it. Homemade chicken broth does take a little planning and time, but you can make several quarts and freeze them for later use. All you need to do is defrost them before adding your homemade broth to soups, sauces, gravy and other recipes.
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 3½ HOURS
MAKES: 6 CUPS
2 large roasting chickens (about 4–5 lbs / 2 kg total)
2 large yellow onions, left unpeeled and quartered
3 carrots, left unpeeled and halved
3 stalks celery with leaves, cut into thirds
1 leek, white part only, cut in half lengthwise
2 or 3 bay leaves
10 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup (30 g) fresh parsley (both stems and leaves)
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 gallon (3.75 liters) water
Place all ingredients in a stockpot, large soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
Use